Container cushioning device



April 14, 1964 s. F. UDsTAD ETAL 3,128,980

CONTAINER cUsHIoNING DEVICE April 14, 1964 s'. F. uDs'rAD ETAL 3,128,980

CONTAINER CUSHIONING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1960 4M ATTORNEY INVENTORSv SIGVALD F. UDSTAD CLAUDE P. WAMPLER .m .ME

'r L i Aww/ April 14, 1964 Filed April 5. 1960 FIG. 6

S. F. UDSTAD ETAL CONTAINER CUSHIONING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS SIGVALD E UDSTAD CLAUDE l? WAMPLER BY M-QZ ATTORNEY April 14, 1964 s, F. UDSTAD Em. 3,128,980

CONTAINER CUSHIONING DEVICE Filed April 5, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 8

FIG. 9

INVENTORS SIGVALD F. UDSTAD CLAUDE l? WAMPLER ATTO RN EY United States Patent O 3,128,980 CONTAINER CUSHIGNING DEVICE Sigvald F. Udstad, Summit, and Claude P. Wampier,

Short Hilts, NJ., assignors to. ACF Industries, Encorporated, New York, NX., arcor-poration of New .Iersey Filed Apr. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 20,068 6 Claims. (Cl. 24S- 119) The present invention relates generally to lading container supports and more particularly to cushioning devices for resiliently supporting lading containers on the deck of a railway car. Very specifically the invention relatesto attachable container cushioning mounts for railway dat cars.

The objects of the invention include the provision of a lading container mounting which will permit and resiliently control longitudinal shock movements of a container onfthe deck of a railway car, and one which may be attached to the decks of existing railway cars to convert the same from general use cars to container transporters. It is an object of the invention to provide such acontainer mounting, the parts of which are easily attached to and detached from a railway car deck for facile convertibility of the car, and which may be stored at railway yards and loading platforms ready for immediate re-use'on the-same car or on other cars.

To achieve these objectives, transversely spaced and longitudinally extending container mounts are slidably supported for frictional engagement upon means disposed adjacent the deck of a railway car along either side thereof. `Slidably engageable hold down means are provided adjacent the sides of the mounts. Container support platforms are provided along the length of each mount, and container keeperelements which extend above the upper surfaces of the mounts are supported intermediate the mount ends. Resilient means are interposed between the car and each mount and disposed longitudinally to permit and con-trol movement of the mount in either longitudinal direction. The frictional Vengagement of the mount adjacent the car deck assists in dissipat-ing initial shock forces so that the permited movement will not be abrupt and result in damage to lading wit-hin the supported container.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by a reading of the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIGURE l is a perspective of a railway ilat car providing the container mounting of the invention and showing two containers, in phantom, being supported thereby.

FIGURES 2 and 3 are elevations, partly broken away showing an end and a middle portion respectively of one of the container mounts of the invention.

[FIGURES 4 and 5 are plan views, partly broken away and partly in section of the end and middle portions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively FIGURES 6 and 7 are sections taken along the lines 6 6 and 7-7 respectively of FIG. 2.

FIGURES 8 and 9 are sections taken along the lines 8 8 and 9-9 respectively of FIG. 3.

FIGURE l shows the general arrangement of a railway at car 1t) and a pair of lading container mounts y1-1 transversely spaced on the deck 12 of the car and longitudinally extending along the sides thereof. The ends of the mounts are spaced inwardly of the end sills 13 of the car to permit their endward travel toward the sills under the influence of shocks received at the ends of the car.

Container keeper elements 15 are spaced inwardly of the mount ends at either end thereof and extend upwardly above the upper surfaces of the mount to engage keeper housings (not shown) in the containers 16, shown in phantom, to restrain the containers from vertical and horizontal movements relative to the mounts.

Located centrally of each mount is a cushioning assembly 17. It in-terposes between the mount and the car a resilient element which permits controlled longitudinal movement of the mounts and the containers supported thereon.

The mounts are supported at their under surfaces for slidable friction engagement with plate elements 20 which are longitudinally spaced and underlie the mounts at their ends, at the keepers and at the cushioning assemblies. These plates are connected along their lateral extensions to the deck of the car by bolts 21 (Shown in the subsequent gures only) and in each instance in the mounting shown, these bolts also provide attachment for laterally facing channel pieces 22 the opposing webs of which are disposed on either side of the mount and provide longitudinal guide surfaces therefor.

Longitudinally spaced container support platforms 23 are provided along the upper surfaces of each mount at the ends, at the keepers and lat the cushioning assemblies where they are in vertical spaced relation to and overlie the friction plates of the mounting.

Each mount comprises a pair of longitudinally coextending Z-members Sil. The members are transversely spaced and disposed to oppose one another so that their upper legs 3l extend laterally outwardly and their lower legs 32 extend laterally inwardly. The arrangement is such that the members dene a longitudinally extending opening between the inner surfaces of the Webs 33 of the mem-bers.

Stability between the members is provided at the ends, at the keepers and at the cushioning assemblies by transversely extending stabilizer plates 35, which form underlayers of the container support platforms Z3. They extend between the lateral edges of the upper legs. The plates 35A at the ends of the members extend inwardly for a short distance. Those 35B at the keepers extend longitudinally just past the front and rear of each keeper. Those 35C at the cushioning assembly extend longitudinally to the front and rear thereof.

The stabilizer plates present longitudinally spaced receivers for the container support platforms 23. These platforms have peripheral dimensions co-extensive with the stabilizer plates and are made of wood. The platforms, stabilizer plates and the upper legs of the Z- members are secured together by threaded bolt and nut assemblies 37 which are longitudinally spaced on either side of the mount at the upper legs of the Z-members. Small spacer pieces 25 are provided between the stabilizer plate and upper legs of the members at the cushion-ing assembly (FIG. 9) to provide a little extra height for the resilient means at that po-int. The platform 23C at the cushion assembly is reduced in thickness relative to the thickness of the end and keeper platforms to cornpensate for the thickness of the spacers.

FGURES 2 and 6 show how the ends of each mount are further stabilized against relative movements of the Z-rnembers and how they are supported for frictional sliding movement upon the plate elements 20A. Both the containers and the deck of the car are shown in phantorn in these and the remaining gures.

Two opposed longitudinally spaced and transversely extending Z-shaped reinforcers 40 are secured at their ends Vto the opposing webs of the members adjacent the ends thereof. The gussets extend vertically from a supporting relationship at their upper legs with the stabilizer plates 35A and container platform 23A to a supported relationship at their lower legs with the inwardly extend- 'ing legs of the members.

Underlying the outwardly extending legs of the members and below the inner end of the stabilizer plate and container support platform at either end of the mount u are the oppositely facing guide channel pieces 22A. These pieces are spaced inwardly from the ends of the mount where they are connected to the friction plate 20A and the deck of the car by the bolts 21 extending through the lower legs of the pieces and through the lateral extensions of the friction plates. The channel webs Lare in close proximity to the outer surfaces of the webs of the Z-members and provide guiding surfaces which keep the mount in a straight direction of travel when it is moved, Their position inwardly from the ends of the mount accommodate guided movement of the mount up to that point and might be varied according to the amount of movement desired.

FIGURES 2, 4 and 7 show the arrangement of the mounting at the container keepers. The keeper 15 itself comprises a shaped latching head with a reduced neck portion which finds mating securing elements in the supported containers. It is flat throughout its lateral formation and extends downwardly into the center opening between the Z-members where it is received on either of its sides by a deformed frame comprising two longitudinally extending frame plates 42, 421. The frame plates oppose one another with the opening, each one providing longitudinally extending and spaced ends secured by nut and bolt assembly 43 to the webs of the members. They extend laterally inwardly from their end-web connections and converge into longitudinally extending, opposed center portions which abut either side of the lower portion of the at keeper. The keeper and center portions are riveted together as indicated at 45. A small horizontally disposed reinforcement plate 4e adds stability to the frame by its connection to the frame lower edges and to the bottom edge of the keeper. As seen in FIGURE 7 the lowermost portion of the keeper and frame assembly is spaced above the upper surface of the friction plate 20B. Further stability of the frame and of the Z-members is provided by the horizontally disposed, transversely extending plates 46, 461 connected at their ends to the longitudinally extending ends of the frame which are in turn connected, to the opposing webs of the members. The inner edges of these plates are connected against the endward surfaces of vertically oriented and transversely extending reinforcement plates 26, 261 connecting the ends of the frame adjacent their converging portions. Finally, triangularly shaped plates 27, 271 abut and extend between the inner surfaces of the converging portions and the reinforcement plates 26, 261. These extend in a plane common with the horizontally disposed plates 46, 461 at the ends of the frame at the vertical center of the Z-members.

The keeper extends upwardly through a slot in the stabilizer plate 35B and a corresponding slot 4S in the container support platform 23B. It is bent laterally outwardly of the car and is reinforced outwardly at its upper bent portion by a transversely extending gusset 50 connecting the keeper upper portion centrally thereof, and extending downwardly through a transversely extending slot l in the container support platform and connecting the stabilizer plate along its lower edge.

The mount is held down at the keepers on either side by the interaction between the oppositely facing channel guides 22B and the webs of the Z-members. Secured, as by welding, along the opposing surfaces of each web and guide is a lower slide bar 53 and an upper slide bar 54 respectively. They extend longitudinally and are vertically spaced but in close proximity to one another so that no vertical movement between the members and guides is allowed, while free relative longitudinal movement is permitted.

FIGS. 3, 5, 8 and 9 show the arrangement at the cushioning assemblies. The upper portion of the assemblies form the co-extending central stabilizer plates 35C and container platforms 23C which afford support for the inner ends `of two supported containers, the outer ends of the containers being supported at the platforms provided 1 at either end of the mounts and the sides of the container, intermediate the ends, being supported by platforms at the keepers.

The actual cushion 56 of each `mount is a series of horizontally disposed resilient pads and spacer elements extending longitudinally in tandem within the opening between the webs of the Z-members, and between the stabi- =lizer plate and lower Z-member legs, as seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 and as indicated by a simple boxed X in FIG. 9. The cushion is retained laterally and vertically by the close proximity of its outer surfaces to the inner surfaces of the webs and the stabilizer plate and by its support upon a base pad 60 extending Ilongitudinally with the cushion and connected at its lateral ends to the inner legs of the Z-members which supportingly underlie the base pad.

Followers 65 abut the ends of the cushion. The cushion and followers are retained longitudinally by vertically spaced and transversely extending upper and lower elongated keys 66, 661 which abut the endwardly facing sur faces of the followers yat either end of the cushion with their inner edges adjacent the top and bottom of each follower. The keys extend laterally on either side through upper and lower slots 67, `671 provided in the webs of the Z-members and through upper and lower slots 68, 681 provided in the oppositely facing guide channels 22C. The lower slots in the channels extend through the webs thereof just below the vertical centers of the webs. The upper slots in the channel pieces extend through the upper portion of the webs adjacent the laterally extending upper legs which are discontinued along the longitudinal extension of the upper slots, Lateral sliding of the keys ex- -tending through the slots is prevented by the small outer retainer plates 70, welded adjacent the ends of the keys. These plates -are horizontally disposed and secured to the under surfaces of the upper keys at their lateral extensions past the slots. The outer retainer plates of the lower keys are similarly secured to the upper surfaces of the lower keys at their ends. Small inner retainer plates 71, also horizontally disposed, are secured to the upper surfaces of each key adjacent the slots in the webs of the Z-members and within the longitudinal opening between the members. To secure the inner plates to the keys, threaded bolts 72 pass through the inner retainer plates and are received in `correspondingly threaded holes within the keys.

Longitudinal shock movements of the car are trans mitted to the cushion via the keys which are backed up at either end of the cushioning assembly within the longitudinal opening between the Z-members at the endward edges of the key slots by the mount stops. These stops include the vertically disposed and transversely spaced stop plates 73 connected at their outer lateral edges against the inner opposing surfaces of the webs of the Z-members. They extend in a common plane inwardly toward one another just past the inner edges of the lower legs of the Z-members and are secured at their lower edges to the lower legs of the members. Each stop plate is backed up by a pair of longitudinally extending vertically spaced stop gussets 75, the inward edges of which are transversely co-extensive with the lateral widths of the stop plates to which they are secured. They extend endwardly along the inner surfaces of the member webs to which their outer edges are secured, their inner edges tapering laterally outwardly to their free end edges.

The outer ends of the keys are backed up by similarly formed channel stops which include the vertically disposed, laterally extending stop plates 76 secured to the outer surfaces of the outwardly facing channel webs at their inner edges adjacent the endmost edges of the cutaway portions of the upper leg. The plates are secured to the upper and lower legs of the channels at their upper and lower edges. They are co-planar with the member stops when the cushion assembly is at rest. The vertically spaced, tapered stop gussets 77 of the channel stops extend rearwardly from their connection to the plates as dothetapered. gussetsof .the member stops andithey are connected alongtheir.innerstraight edges to the webs of the members.

Spaced `inwardly,fromthechannel stop3plates on either sideof the assembly are similarly'formed reinforcement plates 80 extending, between the upper and lower legs of the' outwardly' facing. channelssadjacentthe inner edges of the cut-away portions of the upper legs. The key slots of the Z-members and channels extend between these reinforcing gussets and the channel stop plates to permit the desired length of longitudinal lading container movement.

Further longitudinal reinforcement of the assembly is provided along the longitudinally extending surface between the upper and lower slots of the channel webs by outwardly extending plates 82. Their endward and inner edges are connected to the channel stop plates 76 and channel reinforcement plates 80 and their lateral extensions overlie the bolts 21 connecting the channel lower legs and friction plate 20C to the car.

Additional stability between the car and the friction plate 20C and channel guides 22C at the cushioning assembly is provided'by the longitudinally extending depending bars 85 extending downwardly on either side of and centrally of the assembly from their connection to the lower surfaces of the lower legs of the channel guides. The bars extend through slots 86 provided adjacent the lateral extensions of the friction plate and through corresponding holes or slots (not shown) in the car floor. The surfaces of the bars act as bearing surfaces Within the car iioor to relieve the bolt connections of the friction plates and guide channels from forces tending to place the bolts in shear.

In operation of the containers are supported upon the platforms of the mounts and secured in their position by the keepers. When a force is received at either end of the car it is transmitted via the channel stops to the upper and lower keys at one end of the cushioning device. The mounts and the supported containers are permitted longitudinal momentum movement in the direction opposing the direction of force because the cushion and the member stops, traveling with the members upon which the containers are mounted, force the upper and lower keys at the other end of the cushion toward the force transmitting stops of the channels. The movement of the keys, stops and members is opposed by the cushion, the other end of which is stabilized against the channel stops, the member stops at that end of the assembly being permitted movement away from their abutting relationship with the keys at that end of the assembly. The mounts and the containers are returned to their centered position at the car in a resilient manner by the energy stored in the compressed cushion. As the mounts are slidably supported on friction plates, sudden shock movements are prevented.

The invention, therefore, provides resiliently controlled longitudinal movement of lading containers under the iniiuence of car end shocks. It does so by the provision of portable mounts readily attachable to existing car iloors and readily removable for storage and re-use.

Certain structures have been described herein which will fulfill all the objects of the present invention, but it is contemplated that other modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art which come Within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. An article of manufacture comprising an elongated slidable beam structure, having ends, undersurfaces, upper surfaces and sides, said upper surfaces including spaced platform areas, said undersurfaces including spaced apart friction areas, said sides being spaced apart and defining a longitudinally extending opening therebetween, resilient means in said opening and disposed longitudinally, support means in said opening and supporting said resilient means, means adjacent the ends of said resilient means and abutting the same, said last mentioned means beingabuttingly engagedby said beam structure and extending. through the' spaced sides thereof l and adapted to be engageable by structure independent of said beam structure'.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein friction plate means arev provided -for 'slidably'engaging said friction areasof said undersurfaces, and guide means attachable to said friction plate means are provided for close spaced relationship adjacent said sides, and said sides and guide means provide interengaging and longitudinally slidable hold down projections.

3. The article of manufacture of claim l wherein said spaced platform areas include beam reinforcing means connecting said sides at said upper surfaces.

4. In combination, a railway car, a longitudinal extending floor for the car, a longitudinally extending elongated container mount adapted to support containers thereon for longitudinal sliding movement relative to the car floor, said mount being formed on a beam having upper surfaces, lower surfaces and side surfaces spaced apart to provide an opening therebetween, longitudinally spaced guide means connected to the car :door in close proximity to the side surfaces of said mount, friction means connected to said car floor and supporting said mount lower surfaces in spaced relation above said car floor, container keeper means connected to said mount and extending above said mount in position to engage and retain a container on said mount upper surfaces, resilient means housed in the beam opening and carried iby the beams, longitudinally spaced slots formed in said spaced apart side surfaces of the beam, longitudinally spaced key means extending transversely of the beam through said slots and engaging said resilient means intermediate the ends of the key means, certain of said guide means engaging the ends of said key means and forming stops outwardly of said beam side surfaces to prevent separat- -ing movement of said key means, said slots extending from each key toward the other key, whereby said keys are movable toward each other toI compress said resilient means and resiliently control longitudinal movement of the mount relative to the car floor.

5. In combination, a railway car, a longitudinally extending lioor for the car, a longitudinally extending container mount adapted to support containers thereon for longitudinal sliding movement relative to the car iloor, said mount being formed by spaced apart Z bars joined at spaced intervals and having upper surfaces formed in part by outwardly d-irected flanges of the Z bars, lower surfaces formed in part by the inwardly directed flanges of ythe Z bars, and side surfaces formed by the vertically directed webs of the Z bars, longitudinally spaced guide means connected to the car oor in close proximity to the side surfaces of said mount, friction means connected to said car oor and supporting said mount lower surfaces in spaced relation above said car floor, container keeper means connected to said mount and extending above said mount in position to engage and retain a container on said mount upper surfaces, independent resilient means housed between said spaced apart Z bars, and means interposed between said car .floor and said resilient means for resiliently connecting said elongated container mount and said car floor for resiliently controlled longitudinal movement of the moun-t relative to the car floor.

6. In combination, a railway car including wheels and wheel mounts and a relatively flat lading platform supported thereby, spaced container mounting means slidably supported on said lading platform along each longitudinal side thereof, said mounting means including side walls, a bottom, and a top, portions of said side walls being spaced to define an elongated opening having end w-all portions, resilient means positioned in said elongated opening and engaging the end walls thereof, means connecting said resilient means to said platform to thereby resist longitudinal sliding movement of said mounting means, and means fixed to said platform and engaging the outer faces of said mounting means to prevent lateral and vertical displacement of said mounting means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fitch July 21, 1936 Stanwick et a1. Feb. 28, 1961 

1. AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SLIDABLE BEAM STRUCTURE, HAVING ENDS, UNDERSURFACES, UPPER SURFACES AND SIDES, SAID UPPER SURFACES INCLUDING SPACED PLATFORM AREAS, SAID UNDERSURFACES INCLUDING SPACED APART FRICTION AREAS, SAID SIDES BEING SPACED APART AND DEFINING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING OPENING THEREBETWEEN, RESILIENT MEANS IN SAID OPENING AND DISPOSED LONGITUDINALLY, SUPPORT MEANS IN SAID OPENING AND SUPPORTGITUDINALLY, SUPPORT MEANS IN SAID OPENING AND SUPPORTRESILIENT MEANS ABUTTINGLY ENGAGED BY SAID BEAM STRUCTURE AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE SPACED SIDES THEREOF AND ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGEABLE BY STRUCTURE INDEPENDENT OF SAID BEAM STRUCTURE. 